France and the Algerian War, 1954-1962: Strategy, Operations and Diplomacy

240 Pages·2013·12.557 MB·English

by  Martin S. Alexander, J.F.V. Keiger

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FRANCE AND THE
ALGERIAN WAR 1954-62
France
and the
Algerian War
1954-62
Strategy, Operations and Diplomacy
Editors
MARTIN S. ALEXANDER
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
J. F. V. KEIGER
University of Salford, Manchester
Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group
New York London
First published in 2002 by Frank Cass Publishers
This edition published 2012 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, axon OX14 4RN
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
Copyright © 2002 Frank Cass Publishers
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
France and the Algerian War, 1954-1962: strategy,
operations and diplomacy
I.Algeria - History - Revolution, 1954-1962 2.France -
History, Military - 20th century
1.Alexander, Martin S. 11.Keiger, John F. Y.
965' .046
ISBN 0-7146-5297-0 (cloth)
ISBN 0-7146-8264-0 (paper)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
France and the Algerian War, 1954-62: strategy, operations and dip
diplomacy / editors, Martin S. Alexander, J.F.Y. Keiger.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7146-5297-0 (cloth) - ISBN 0-7146-8264-0 (pbk.)
1. Algeria-History-Revolution, 1954-1962-Campaigns, 2. France.
Armee-Colonial forces-History-20th century. 3. France-Foreign
relations-I 958-1 969. 1. Alexander, Martin S. II. Keiger, John F. V.
DT295 .F715 2002
965'.046-dc21
2002007378
This group of studies first appeared in a Special Issue on
'France and the Algerian War (1954-62): Strategy, Operations and Diplomacy'
of The Journal of Strategic Studies (ISSN 0140 2390) 2512 (June 2002)
published by Frank Casso
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced. stored in or introduced into a retrieval
system. or transmitted. in any form. or by any means. electronic. mechanical. photocopying. recording. or
othenvise. without the prior written permissionof the publisher of this book.
Dedicated to the memory of
F. G. M. Keiger (1916-2002)
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Chronology ix
Maps and Figure xix
1. France and the Algerian War: Strategy, Martin S. Alexander
Operations and Diplomacy J. F. V. Keiger 1
1. STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS
2. The French Army 'Centre for Training and
Preparation in Counter-Guerrilla Warfare'
(CIPCG) at Arzew Lt. Colonel Frédéric Guelton 35
3. A Case of Successful Pacification: the 584th
Bataillon du Train at Bordj de 1' Agha
(1956-57) Alexander Zervoudakis 54
4. Aerial Intelligence during the Marie-Catherine Villatoux
Algerian War Paul Villatoux 65
5. The French Navy and the Algerian
War Rear Admiral Bernard Estival 79
II. DIPLOMACY
6. The Gaullists, the French Army and Algeria
before 1958: Common Cause or Marriage of
Convenience? Stephen Tyre 97
7. De Gaulle, the 'Anglo-Saxons' and the
Algerian War Irwin M. Wall 118
8. France, the United States and the Invisible
Algerian Outcome Charles G. Cogan 138
9. The British Embassy in Paris and the
Algerian War: An Uncomfortable
Partner? Christopher Goldsmith 159
10. The British Government and the End of
French Algeria, 1958-62 Martin Thomas 172
Abstracts 199
About the Contributors 204
Index 207
Chronology
THE COLONIAL PERIOD
1830: French troops capture Algiers
1848: French Second Republic Constitution proclaims Algeria an integral
part of France
1911: Compulsory military conscription extended to Algeria's Muslim
males
1926: Foundation of the Etoile Nord-Africaine (ENA) in Paris, demanding
'independence for North Africa'
29 November 1929: ENA banned by French authorities
28 May 1933: ENA reconstituted, under Messali Hadj
November 1936: Stillborn French proposals from Popular Front
Governor-General of Algeria, Maurice Viollette, for reforms and Muslim
enfranchisement
26 January 1937: Second dissolution of ENA by French authorities
26 September 1939: Onset of World War II used by French as pretext to
arrest principal Algerian nationalists
26 May 1943: Presentation of the 'Algerian Manifesto'
2 April 1945: Founding Congress of the Amis du Manifest et de la Liberté
8-31 May 1945: Inter-communal massacres at Sétif and Guelma leave
103 Europeans and up to 3,000 Muslims dead
20 October 1946: Creation by Messali Hadj of the MTLD {Mouvement
pour le triomphe des libertés démocratiques)
20 September 1947: French Fourth Republic's new 'Statute for Algeria'
slightly widens Muslim franchise; rejected by Muslim political leaders